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Rumor: Pitt to Join Big Ten
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6 CommentsI will stress that this is merely a rumor, but the word on the street (and by street I mean message boards and Twitter) is that Pitt is set to join the Big Ten, and an announcement will be made next week. Supposedly Pitt’s athletes have been informed of the move, which is how the rumor got started in the first place. The date of the announcement is allegedly February 4, which is next Thursday.
If this turns out to be true, and I still think that’s a big if, I’m more than okay with Pitt becoming the 12th member of the Big Ten. They are at the top of my realistic wish list of candidates to join the conference alongside Missouri. I probably would be a bit more excited if Missouri were to join (partly because of how entertaining it would be to watch the domino effect the move would set off on the Big 12), but the Big Ten could certainly do worse than Pitt.
Aside from that, if this is true then I’m going to really start wondering about how the teams will be split up into divisions. Rivalries in the Big Ten will play a large role in splitting up the 12 teams, as will making sure the divisions are balanced. It will definitely be interesting to see how that turns out, because I don’t know if a perfect plan to split the teams up exists. I imagine the Big Ten will want to make sure that rivalry games played in the last week of the season are between teams in the same division in order to prevent a possible rematch in the conference title game, but it is going to be tough to set it up in a way where everything works out.
The other thing I’m going to start wondering about is when the official move to the conference would happen. The consensus seems to be the fall of 2012 based on how long it would take to leave the Big East, which does make sense. A move like this doesn’t just happen overnight, because the Big East will need to receive notice well in advance if Pitt decides to leave, and obviously the Big Ten will have to take some time setting up the schedules to include Pitt and plan a conference title game in football.
I suppose we’ll find out more next week if this rumor is true, but until then, let the speculating begin.
Saw the same rumor on other message boards as well. The source on the one particular thread was said to be one of Pitt’s Olympic Sports Coaches. I agree, the Big 10 could do far worse (e.g. Syracuse and West Virginia). I think adding a major television market along with an up-and-coming football program with plenty of history and a top echelon basketball program is good for the Big 10. Also geographically this makes sense for team’s travel as well. If this occurs, there is some potential for some good rivalries with Pitt, namely PSU and OSU. All I can say is, it’s about time the Big Ten can have a Championship Game!!!
Bring ‘em on, good for Pitt, good for big Ten. Championship game in Indianapolis. Look forward to the Pitt/PSU game again. This is a case wherein everybody wins!
I would like to see 3 more teams get added to the Big Ten. Pitt would be good. Why not add Missouri and Kansas too. They all recruit the same areas and would open up a huge territory for TV. I feel Missouri is the best addition, if coverage area is a factor. This would add every TV in Missouri and a little more. Pitt would solidify the state of PA, but it is pretty much a Big Ten viewing area already. I grew up between Pitt and Columbus, and there are a lot of Penn State fans, maybe more, in Pitts own backyard. Basketball wise, this is a huge addition because Big Ten is alteast the 2nd best basketball to the Big East conference if not the best. the Big Ten seemes not to want to do what the SEC is doing, so add 3 teams to 14. This is possible and i feel it would swing the BCS to have to rank the Big Ten teams higher due to the strength of conference games. i live in SEC country now, and all I hear is how the Big Ten is NCAA “history” and the SEC has made the future of College football. If anyone in the South looks, it will see that this is the only decade that they have been more dominant. LOOK BACK AT THE 90′s. Also, being a huge Michigan fan, look at the Wolverines record against the SEC. 20-5-1 all-time. you can look at OSU’s 0-10 record against the SEC as the entire Big Ten. Michigan lost to App state at the begging of that season and man handled Fla. in a bowl game at the end of the year (with Teblow)
I’m a Pitt student. I called a contact of mine with the athletic department; they said that the Athletic Director did meet with all of the athletes, and many athletes thought the meeting would be about a conference change, but that was not the purpose of the meeting. I dunno if that’s what they were supposed to tell me or what, but my contact says no conference announcement was made to Pitt’s student athletes.
Interesting. Perhaps the rumor was the result of a misunderstanding or something. Or, like you said, that is just what they’re supposed to say for now.
Big stinks. the big east is where it is at. I am a Pitt fan, gone to Pitt and give money to Pitt. I am sick